The Counterfeiter is primed to get his current preparation back on track at Mornington next Wednesday. Trainer Matt Laurie has nominated the gelding for a 1005m dash at his home track on the opening day of the season.

The Counterfeiter (3g Keep The Faith - La Cloche by Anabaa) was stakes placed at Caulfield as an April two year-old and he returned to finish third behind G1 gallopers African Pulse and Karuta Queen at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

“He’s an outstanding type and is usually the pick of the yard,” trainer Matt Laurie said this week. “He’s a genuine speed horse and that’s left him open to the closers in many of his races.

“We decided to ride him quietly at Caulfield two starts ago and he flew home to finish second to Le Societe. She’s a top-class filly and my bloke ran the race of his life to get within a length of her on the line.

“I sent him around a week later at Flemington but he didn’t back up,” Laurie explained. “I’m keen to start him here at Mornington next Wednesday. He goes well on all surfaces and I reckon he will stretch out to 1400 metres as a four year-old.”

The Counterfeiter is raced by a syndicate that includes Jamie Withers, Rod Coventry, Wayne Crosbie and Danny McHugh and was a bargain $22,000 buy as a foal at the Inglis Sydney weanling sale in June 2009.

His older half-sister Creed won on debut at Ballarat last year and she can also improve Keep The Faith’s strike-rate next week. She is trained by Steve McKinnon and has been nominated for Bendigo on Thursday, August 2.

Their second dam Stellare (Bletchingly) is a half-sister to G1 VATC One Thousand Guineas winner Shame.

Keep The Faith (Sunday Silence) stands at Greta West Stud and he’s already sired 80 winners of 141 races in his first two crops. They have saluted at a 61% strike-rate.

Greta West studmaster Laurie McCarthy will stand Keep The Faith for a $4,400 (inc gst) service fee this year.

MATT LAURIEPreparing The Counterfeiter for a home town win at Mornington